


Best Laid Plans

by orphan_account



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-06-23
Updated: 2001-06-23
Packaged: 2019-05-15 19:00:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14796164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: CJ and Toby get more than they bargained for when they decide to get even with Sam and Josh.





	1. Best Laid Plans

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

 

Disclaimers: The West Wing and it's characters are the property of Aaron Sorkin, Warner Brothers and NBC. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this.

Rating: PG

Summary: CJ and Toby get more than they bargained for when they decide to get even with Sam and Josh.

Best Laid Plans 

Sometimes it can be apparent that two people belong together. Occasionally the two people know it immediately. But more often than not, they need a little help coming to the appropriate conclusion.

The bar wasn't all that crowded that night. Sam and Josh were at a pool table playing pool, while CJ and Toby were back at the table talking.

"They look happy." Sam remarked.

"What are you talking about?"

"CJ and Toby."

"What about them?" Josh asked.

"They look good together. Almost as if they belong together."

"CJ and Toby, together...as in *together*?"

"Yeah, it really isn't such a bad idea." Sam said.

"Why not?"

"Well look at them. They've known each other for years. They're good friends. They say that friends make the best lovers."

"If we are wrong, they'll kill us." Josh said.

"Are you saying I'm right?"

"I'm saying they would be good together."

"So you'll help me get them together."

"What?"

"Well they're not going to do it themselves. They need a little help."

"So we're going to help them?"

"Sure." Sam said. "I'll talk to Toby. You talk to CJ."

"What are we going to do when they kill us?"

"They won't kill us. They'll be grateful to us."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CJ turned around in her chair, watching them. "What do you think they are up to?"

"I have no idea."

"They look like they are up to something."

"They do?"

"Yes, look at them."

Toby glanced over at Sam and Josh. "They don't look like they are up to anything."

"Yeah, well when we find out what they are up to, and it's on the front page of every paper." She laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. They aren't up to anything, and even if they are it won't be that bad."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day, Sam walked into Toby's office, ducking to miss the ball that was flying around the room.

"Hey Toby."

"What do you need?"

"I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Yes..."

"You like CJ, right?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You like her."

"Much more than I do you, right now. Why?"

"I was just wondering."

"Okay."

"Did you ever think that maybe you should ask her out?"

"Sam."

"Yeah."

"It would be detrimental to your health to not leave right now."

"I'm going."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Josh was standing in CJ's office when she came back from doing a briefing. "What do you need?" She asked as she walked in.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"What about?"

"I was watching you and Toby last night."

"What about Toby and I?"

"Well you guys are cute together."

"Toby and I are cute together?" She was trying not to laugh.

"Yes."

"What is your point?"

"I just think you would make a nice couple."

"A nice couple?"

"Yes."

"A couple of what?" She laughed, although she knew exactly what he was implying.

"A couple, CJ."

"I understand that."

"You should be together." He finally said.

"Josh, Toby and I have known each other for years."

"Yes, I know that."

"Don't you think he and I would know if..."

Josh shrugged and left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CJ was leaving when Toby called her to his office. She stood in the doorway. "Yeah?"

"Did you have a visit from Josh today?"

She sat down on the couch. "Yeah, how did you know?"

"I had a visit from Sam."

"Did Sam suggest you and I should be a couple?" She asked.

"No, he said I like you and I should ask you out."

"Josh said we were cute together." She laughed.

Toby made a face. "Cute?"

"Well the cuteness would be coming from me." She smiled.

Toby just shook his head and they were silent for a moment.

"So I guess we know what they were up to last night." CJ said.

"Yes we do. I'm thinking they should be taught a lesson."

"Oh?" She noticed a glint in his eyes.

"Yes."


	2. Best Laid Plans 2

 

See part 1 for disclaimers.

As they sat in his office, Toby outlined his plan. Somehow CJ managed not to interrupt him until he was finished.

"That's preposterous, there is no way..."

"Why not?"

"You want me to pretend I'm falling in love with you?" She was astonished.

"Well I'm going to be pretending I'm falling in love with you as well."

"It gives them what they want! How the hell is that supposed to teach them a lesson!?"

"Let me finish."

"Oh, this better be good."

"We pretend that we are dating for a month. They we break up."

"Toby is your brain even working?"

"My brain is working in it's normal devious manner. May I continue?"

"Go ahead."

"When we break up, we're at each other's throats. We hate each other. We do nothing but argue."

"And this teaches them a lesson how?"

"They have what they think they want, right?"

"Yes."

"So they are going to run around all happy, thinking they are matchmakers exordinaire."

"Probably."

"Then we break up. We're so angry at each other that we can't even stand to look at each other. They realize their actions have consequences."

"They think because we are friends..."

"That we'll remain friends even if..."

"Okay so we fight. When do we tell them that we outsmarted them?"

"We fight for a week or two and then tell them what we have done."

"Do you really think we'll be allowed to fight for a week or two?"

"What do you mean?" Toby asked.

"If we are fighting it's going to interfere with our work, sooner or later Leo will lock us in a room and not let us come out until we are on good terms again."

"Then we fight till Leo does that, or two weeks are up."

"Okay."

"So we are going to do this?"

"Sure why not? They need to be taught a lesson." CJ smiled.

"So we are agreed?"

"Yes, this could be fun."

They sealed the agreement with a handshake, and planned how they would start in the morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Joshua." CJ said sweetly the next morning.

He turned around. He had been unaware of her presence until she had spoken. "Could you possibly do that again? I don't believe you scared me to death that time."

She rolled her eyes. "I just wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

"You don't remember talking to me yesterday?"

"About what?"

"Toby."

"You want to thank me?" Josh asked, he had been certain either she or Toby would kill him for that conversation.

"Yes, I had a long talk with Toby. A talk I never would have had if you hadn't said something."

"And you want to thank me?"

"Yes." She went over and kissed his cheek. "Because of you, Toby and I are dating. Thank you." She turned and left.

"Well that went much better than expected." Josh mumbled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sam." Toby called as Sam passed by his office.

"Yeah?"

"CJ and I..."

"You are!" Sam said excitedly.

"Yeah."

"That's great."

"Yeah."

"Is this because of what I said yesterday?" Sam asked.

"Yeah."

"Well that's just great. I'm sure the two of you will be very happy." Sam left Toby's office with a smile on his face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I was right." Sam said to Josh.

"Yes, I know that." They were sitting in the mess.

"I mean just look at them." Sam glanced across the room to where CJ and Toby sat. Anyone watching them would have thought they were a happily dating couple.

"They look happy."

"Yep, and we did this."

"Yes we did."

"We're good matchmakers. We should do this again."

Josh laughed. "I think this is something I'm only willing to do once."


	3. Best Laid Plans 3

 

See part 1 for disclaimers

CJ was gathering her things to go home when Toby walked into her office. She looked up. "Yes?"

"We should go to dinner."

"I'm going home."

"We're dating."

"Pretending to date." She corrected.

"Yes, and we should go to dinner."

She turned around until she was facing him, hands on her hips, she asked. "Why?"

"Because we don't want Sam and Josh to know that we are just pretending."

"Good reason."

"I thought so."

"So where are we going?"

"It's up to you." Toby said as they were walking out. He knew that Sam and Josh had told everyone that he and CJ were dating, so he slipped an arm around her waist.

She looked down at where his arm was and then looked back up at him.

Toby leaned closer to her and whispered. "Everyone knows, just play along."

"Okay."

As soon as they were in the parking garage and no one was around, she moved Toby's arm away from her waist. "I think we need to set some rules."

"Okay."

"We only act affectionate when others are around."

"I never thought otherwise." He shrugged.

"Okay, how far does this affection go?"

"As far as we deem necessary."

"And that would be?"

"Oh, come on CJ! We aren't going to have sex in front of them."

"Toby!"

"Nothing more than what just happened."

"Our arms around each other? Hand holding?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After they had been together for nearly a week, the President decided to have a small party for them. Everyone was in the Residence waiting, or rather dreading, for the President's special chili to be served.

"You guys really are happy?" Josh said to CJ.

"Yes." She smiled sweetly.

"I'm glad, but you know it was fairly obvious that the two you had a thing for each other."

CJ almost choked on her drink. "It was?"

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I just didn't think..."

"That anyone had noticed?"

"Yeah."

"It's been obvious for ages."

"Really?"

"Yeah." He smiled. "Glad it finally happened." He walked away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Toby came up to her a little while later. "I was thinking that since this thing is in honor of us, we should spend some time together." He whispered.

"Good idea."

"What were you and Josh talking about?"

"He thinks it's been apparent for ages that you and I have a thing for each other."

"He does?"

"Yes, of course this is also the same man who can't admit he has a thing for Donna."

"True."

"So he is certainly wrong about us."

"Of course." Toby agreed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later that evening, after the chili had been eaten, the President decided to put some music on so the guests of honor could dance together.

"They're all watching us." Toby whispered.

"They are?"

"Yes, with what I would describe as smug, self-satisfied looks, especially Josh and Sam."

She laughed. "What do you think they want?"

"We said we would do whatever the moment called for?"

"You also said we weren't having sex in front of them." She laughed.

"I'm thinking we should kiss."

"Are you asking my permission to kiss me?"

"Yes."

"Well, since it you put it that way, you may." She smiled.

He gently kissed her lips. As he pulled away, each of the them moved towards the other and they kissed again, a deeper kiss this time.


	4. Best Laid Plans 4

 

See part 1 for disclaimers

Toby had dropped her off at her apartment over an hour ago, and CJ had still not moved from the couch. When she had agreed to allow Toby to kiss her, she hadn't believed it would effect her at all. Nothing could be further from the truth. She still didn't know why she had kissed him again. She wondered how she was going to face him tomorrow. She was starting to wonder if there was any truth in what Josh had said earlier. Was it even possible that she had a thing for Toby? There was no way it was possible. She would have known if she had a thing for him, but as the hours of the night dragged on, she became more willing to admit it was possible .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was late the next day before she had a chance to speak to Toby alone.

"Hello." Toby said when she walked into his office.

"Hi." She had no idea how to start this conversation.

"I was thinking that we should have dinner tonight."

"Why?"

"Because we need to discuss some things."

"What things?"

"The month is almost up. We need to discuss the next step."

"Okay."

"So we'll do that over dinner."

"That's fine." She swallowed. "We need to talk about yesterday as well."

"What about yesterday?"

"The kiss."

"We probably shouldn't have done that." He said. "I'm sorry."

"Toby...I..."

"Yes?"

"I wouldn't mind doing that again."

"You wouldn't?"

"Not at all."

"So if I kissed you right now, you would..."

"I would probably put my arms around you and kiss you back."

He got up and walked to where she was. A few weeks ago, he had no idea that he had feelings for her, but now he knew he did. "That's what you would do?"

"Yes." She nodded as she felt his hands touch her waist. He pulled her to him and then kissed her gently. Her arms slipped around him as they stood in the middle of his office kissing.

"You did what you said."

"Yes I did." She smiled. "We still need to talk though."

"Okay."

"I'm...I'm beginning to think that maybe there is some truth in what Josh has said."

"That you and I have a thing for each other?"

"Yes. I'm almost positive that I have feelings of a romantic nature for you." She admitted.

"I'm positive those feelings are returned."

She looked at him. "What are we going to do about this?"

"About what?"

"The feelings, your plan to get even..."

"Our plan."

"Well you're the one that came up with it, so it's your plan."

"Okay."

"So we'll start dating when it is over with?"

"What's wrong with right now?"

"In a week we're going to be acting like we hate each other."

"Yes, how would that prevent us from dating."

"We couldn't go out."

"We could stay in our apartments."

"Yes..." CJ said.

"Then no one would know we weren't fighting."

"That would work."

"After that is over, we tell Sam and Josh that we were just fooling them."

"And we admit we really are dating."

"Yes."

"Okay." She turned to go. "I'm going to go get my things."

"Okay."

She stopped at the door. "Oh, if you...if you want to stay with me tonight..."

"CJ..."

She swallowed. "I'm saying I want you to stay with me tonight."

"Maybe we should wait."

"We've been dating for weeks. I don't want to wait any longer."

He nodded. "I'll stay."


	5. Best Laid Plans 5

 

See part 1 for disclaimers.

Author's Notes: I'm changing the rating of the next two parts to PG-13.

Two weeks later, she walked into her office and took a deep breath as she slammed the door behind her. She was certain Josh would be unable to resist the sound of the slamming door, and less than two minutes later her hypothesis was proven correct.

"You okay?" Josh asked, when he opened the door.

"Why would I be?"

"You slammed the door."

"Yes."

"Why did you slam the door?"

"Because Toby is an infuriating jackass."

"What happened?"

"We got into a fight."

"Fight or argument?"

"Well if it had been an argument I wouldn't be so upset, would I?"

"Why not?"

"Because an argument is something we could overcome, a fight is something Toby and I won't overcome."

"Are you saying it's over?" Josh asked, shocked.

"Yes." She replied, surprised that she was able to keep a straight face.

"I'm sorry." He didn't know what else to say.

"Not your fault."

"Yeah." Josh turned to go.

"I'm just going to throw myself into my work."

"Okay." Josh left.

As he closed the door, CJ tried to control her laughter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Josh went to Sam's office. "We've got a problem." He said as he walked in.

"We do?"

"Yeah."

"And this problem would be?"

"CJ and Toby."

"Everything is fine with the two lovebirds."

"No, Sam everything is not fine."

"What are you talking about?"

"They got into a fight. CJ says it's over."

"What?"

"Yeah."

"Think there is anything we can do to push them back together?" Sam asked.

"I don't know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CJ was lucky enough to be able to leave work early that day. She walked around her apartment making sure everything was the way she wanted it. Half an hour later, her doorbell rang.

She smiled as she pulled Toby inside. "It's about time you got here." She laughed.

"Well if I had known I would have this kind of greeting.." He grinned looking at her standing before him in a robe.

"I wanted to be comfortable."

"Yeah."

"I ordered dinner and it arrived a little while ago."

"Okay."

She led him into the dining room where they shared a candlelit dinner.

"I overheard Sam and Josh today." Toby said later.

"What did they say?"

"They're wondering if there is a way to put us back together."

She laughed, standing in his arms. "I would say we are together right now, wouldn't you?"

"Yes."

"So they want to put us back together?"

"Yes."

"I happen to think that's rather sweet." She smiled.

"We aren't apart."

"They don't know that."

"True." She whispered as she started to kiss him passionately. They made their way into the bedroom and were laying on the bed kissing when there was a knock on the door.

"Ignore it, they'll go away." Toby whispered.

"Okay." She replied. They continued to kiss, but the knock didn't go away. CJ sat up. "I'll go get rid of whoever that is, you should stay here."

"Okay." He watched her get out of the bed and walk towards the door. "CJ."

"Yeah."

"You forgot something." He was holding her robe.

"Yes." She said as he slipped it over her shoulders.

"Hurry back." Toby whispered, kissing her neck.

"I will." She went and looked out the door's peephole. She groaned when she saw it was Josh and Sam.

"What?" CJ asked as she opened the door.

"May we come in?" Josh asked.

"Yeah." She stepped aside and watched them come in, wondering why they were at her apartment.


	6. Best Laid Plans 6

 

See part 1 for disclaimers

Author's Notes: The rating for this part is PG-13

Best Laid Plans - part 6

CJ watched them closely as Josh and Sam looked around her living room and then sat down.

"What did you need?" She asked.

"We were going to talk to you about the situation with Toby, but since you are obviously tired..." Sam replied, getting up.

"There has to be something we can do." Josh said, not moving from the chair he was sitting in.

"The relationship came to it's inevitable bad end. There's nothing more to say." CJ said, covering her mouth to stifle a yawn.

"I'm sorry." Sam said. "We really should go and let you get some sleep."

"It's only 10." Josh said.

"Josh how many nights do I get home before midnight!" CJ snapped.

"You have a point." Josh said.

"So if you don't mind I'd like to sleep since this is one of those few nights that I have gotten home before midnight."

"Okay." Josh said, getting up. "You know if you need to talk to anyone..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." CJ replied.

"Same here." Sam said.

"Thanks." CJ replied as she walked them to the door.

"Night." Josh said as he walked out. CJ closed the door behind them, breathing a large sigh of relief that they were gone. She turned the lights out and went back to the bedroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sam and Josh walked down the street away from CJ's building. "Maybe we should go talk to Toby." Josh said.

"What?" Sam said. He was paying close attention to the car they were walking beside, even turning to look at the license plate as they walked past it.

"Go talk to Toby about the situation between him and CJ."

"He's not at home." Sam replied.

"And your clairvoyant powers are telling you that how?"

"We just walked past his car."

"What?"

"That car back there was Toby. I'm thinking that since it's parked close to CJ's building."

"How do you know that's Toby's car?"

"The license plate."

"You know Toby's license plate number?" Josh asked.

"No, I don't. If you asked me right now I couldn't give you the numbers. I just recognize it when I see it."

"Oh."

"So Toby is parked near CJ's building, that would lead me to believe that..."

"Toby is with CJ."

"Exactly!"

"And they've been pulling one on us all long." Josh said.

"Yep."

"What are we going to do about it?"

"I don't know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CJ glanced at Toby as she walked back into the bedroom, he didn't move at all. She walked over to the other side of the bed and saw that his eyes were closed. "I swear if he has gone to sleep." She muttered.

Toby opened his eyes. "What makes you think I've gone to sleep?"

"Maybe the fact that your eyes were closed."

"I was just resting my eyes."

"Oh you were?"

"Yes."

"Got to the point I couldn't seem to keep them open, but I wasn't asleep. I heard every word that Josh and Sam said."

"Well then you know they are gone."

"Yes."

She slipped the robe off and got in bed with him. "So where were we?"

Toby put an arm around her and pulled CJ to him. His other hand slipped the strap of her nightgown down so he could kiss her collarbone. "Right here." He murmured.


	7. Best Laid Plans 7

 

See part 1 for disclaimers.

Author's Notes: This part is also PG-13, just to be on the safe side.

CJ walked into her office with a slight smile on her face, humming slightly. As soon as she saw who was sitting in her chair, the smile and humming disappeared.

Josh was sitting in her chair, with his feet propped up on the desk. "Good morning, Claudia Jean."

"Morning." She was warily.

"Someone seems to be in a good mood." Josh smiled.

"I am?"

"You were smiling and humming as you walked in here. I would say that constitutes a good mood."

"I suppose so." She sat her briefcase down and looked at him. "Why are you in here?"

"I just wanted to see how you were."

"Well as you can tell I'm fine."

"From the way you were acting before you saw me, I'd say you were better than fine."

"Oh?"

"Yes."

"And why would you say that?"

"Because you were smiling and humming." He smirked. "I would guess you got laid last night."

"Joshua!"

"Would you like to know what I'm basing this on?"

"Not really."

"Well I plan to tell you."

"Please do." She rolled her eyes.

"You're acting the same way you acted when you and Toby were together."

"Well Josh when you decide to base your assumptions on something concrete, please feel free to let me know." CJ started to pull him out of her chair.

"Of course Sam and I saw Toby's car packed near your apartment last night."

She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.

"Which causes me to believe you and Toby got back together last night."

"It does?"

"Of course the alternative is that you and Toby have been together all along and were playing us."

"It is?"

"That's a little close to the truth, isn't it?"

"Is it?"

"You aren't denying it."

"I guess not."

"Because it's true."

She shrugged, walking around the room.

"So the scheme actually worked?"

"Which one?" She smiled.

"Getting you and Toby together."

"Yeah, it worked."

He smiled. "Has it been fun fooling me?"

"Oh yes." She grinned. "You're an easy target."

"Are you?"

"Am I what?"

"An easy target?"

"No."

"One of these days, when you least expect it I'm going to find that out."

"Find what out?"

"If you and Toby are easy targets."

"Oh."

"You'll never see it coming." Josh said as he got up and went out the door. CJ sat down in the chair and picked up the phone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She went to his apartment that night, and arrived before he did. She used the key he had given her weeks ago and let herself in. CJ sat the Chinese in the refrigerator and then looked around Toby's surprisingly immaculate apartment. He came home an hour later.

"So they know the truth?" Toby said.

"Yep." CJ replied, raising herself to a sitting position on the couch.

"Then I guess the game is over." He hung his coat in the closet and sat the briefcase in the closet floor.

"Yes it is."

"So where do we go from here?"

"Unless you're hungry, to bed."

He pulled her up from the couch. "Okay. What are we going to do about Josh and Sam?"

"Welcome them to the majors when they try to pull their next scheme on us?"

The end.


End file.
